Digital Commons Network^™

Resolving Problems In Engineering Ethics: Precept And Example, Joel C. Adair

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis has served to accomplish several objectives. First, a foundation was laid for the consideration of ethical factors in an engineering context. This was done by first establishing the need for ethical judgement in the engineering disciplines. A summary of several significant classical ethical theories followed, providing several tools with which to evaluate decisions that have ethical implications. Finally, the conclusion was made that the best framework for making ethical decisions is found in the application of the virtues espoused by the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Graduate Student - Faculty Mentoring: Does Gender Matter?, Jodi Lynn Hallsten

Theses and Dissertations

Mentoring is an historically popular way to successfully guide a younger person's talents in a given field. The success of a mentoring relationship relies on close and frequent communication between its participants. When communication breaks down between a mentor and protege the relationship cannot fulfill its mentoring function and is rendered ineffective.

Communication literature asserts that women and men are socialized at very young ages into distinct gender specific communities (Tannen, 1990; Tingley, 1993, and Wood 1994). As a result of the different communication styles used by each gender, interactions between women and men often result in misunderstandings. In mentoring …

Space Maneuver Vehicle Orbital Mission Planner: Development Of Application And Analysis Of On-Demand Maneuvering Ability, Shon P. Williams

Theses and Dissertations

The USAF has developed the Space Maneuver Vehicle (SMV) to fulfill the requirement for flexibility, rapid response, and on-demand maneuverability of space assets. This reusable satellite merges the efficiency and readiness of aircraft-like operations with the capability of global coverage from space. Designed to provide over 10,500 fps of velocity change (or delta-v) while in orbit, the SMV out-maneuvers existing satellites by up to 100 times. This thesis helps transition the SMV to the operational area by demonstrating their responsiveness to varied mission taskings. The SMV Orbital Mission Planner allows the operator to place any number of SMVs in orbit …

Whole Spacecraft Vibration Isolation, Gregory G. Karahalis

Theses and Dissertations

The Department of Defense identified launch vibration isolation as a major research interest. Reducing the loads a satellite experiences during launch will greatly enhance the reliability, lifetime, and payload to structure ratio. DoD satellite programs stand to benefit significantly from advances in vibration isolation technology.

Kinetic Model Of A Space-Based, Br (4 2P1/2 → 4 2P3/2) Laser Pumped By Solar Photolysis Of Ibr, Barry N. Behnken

Theses and Dissertations

A kinetic model of the directly solar-pumped, atomic bromine laser-operating on the Br (4 ²P_1/2 → 4 ²P_3/2) transition under IBr photolysis-was developed, executed, and interpreted. In recognition of an evolving national interest in space-based laser development, the model presumed operation on a space station platform. Results indicate that a well-engineered IBr laser is capable of generating 1.2 kilowatts of continuous-wave (CW) power under a pumping concentration of 20,000 solar units. Such performance translates to an efficiency of roughly 0.29%, appreciably better than the 0.1% ascribed to the heretofore leading solar-pumped competitor. An extensive analysis …

An Interactive Tool For Refining Software Specifications From A Formal Domain Model, Gary L. Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

This work examines the process for refining a software specification from a formal object-oriented domain model. This process was implemented with interactive software to demonstrate the feasibility and benefits of automating what has been a tedious and often error-prone manual task. The refinement process operates within the framework of a larger Knowledge-Based Software Engineering system. A generic object-oriented representation is used to store a domain model, which allows the specification tool to access, select, and manipulate the required objects to form a customized specification. The specification is also stored as an object-oriented model, which in turn can be accessed by …

Analysis Of The Applicability Of Video Segmentation To Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Surveillance Video, Bradley L. Pyburn

Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this research is to determine if applying edge detection segmentation (proposed by Ramin Zabih, Justin Miller, and Kevin Mai) to Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) video footage can provide meaningful segments for database storage and retrieval. The edge detection segmentation algorithm is applied to fifty-four UAV video sequences containing visual effects such as abrupt camera changes, camera zooms, motion (rapid and gradual), and cloud cover while varying the frame rate from 5 fps to 30 fps. An analysis of the results is performed to compare actual versus expected outcomes, similar sequences, and scenes with motion, along with explaining …

Estimating The Height Of The Planetary Boundary Layer For Diffusion-Transport Models: A Four Algorithm Comparison, Robert L. Russ

Theses and Dissertations

Diffusion-Transport (D-T) modeling is a branch of numerical weather prediction concerned with eddy diffusion of particulate pollutant plumes and their transport by the wind. When conducting D-T modeling, establishing the height of the planetary boundary layer (PBL) is crucial to defining the vertical bounds within which a plume can become thoroughly mixed. The PBL can be deduced from observations or model simulation. Three sounding analysis PBL algorithms were considered - the Potential Instability Mixing Depth (PIMIX), Potential Temperature (POTEMP), and Gradient Richardson Number (RICH) algorithms. A turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) based PBL algorithm was also evaluated. The purpose of this …

Substrate Availability In Solid Waste Landfills, Brian D. Benter

Theses and Dissertations

Numerous models exist to both predict and represent the many biological activities that occur in the modern landfill. These different models use varying methods of characterizing what is happening, what is thought to happen, or what should be happening based on both empirical data and theoretical reasoning. The model presented here is an extension of the system dynamics model originally presented by Colborn in 1997. The revamped model presents a different perspective on what happens as solid organic waste is transformed to simpler substances. This new view involves a bacterial population performing hydrolysis whose growth is limited by the amount …

An Evaluation And Comparison Of The Ace And Brace Airfield Models, David W. Wiliams

Theses and Dissertations

Airfields are a critical aspect of our military's ability to project power or respond to crises throughout the world. It is crucial that mobility planners have an effective means to estimate the capacity of these airfields. The objective of this research is to examine common mobility metrics and evaluate existing means of measuring them. Currently, Air Mobility Command has two models, the Airfield Capacity Estimator (ACE) and the Base Resource and Capabilities Estimator (BRACE), that were designed to estimate the resource requirements and capacities of an airfield. This study offers a critical evaluation and comparison of the two models. Discrepancies …

Metastatic Potential And Resistance To Oxidative Stress In Nb2 Lymphoma Cell., Hanqian Liang

Theses and Dissertations

Malignant cancers typically become more aggressive with time. This process, termed tumor or malignant progression, is associated with phenotypic changes within the tumor, such as loss of dependence upon growth factors or hormones, development of drug resistance, tissue invasiveness and metastatic ability. The observation of differences in levels of glutathione (GSH) and related enzymes, resistance to activation of apoptosis, and induction of transcription factors suggest that (1) oncogenic progression from growth factor dependency to autonomy in the Nb2 lymphoma cell model is associated with adaptive changes in the redox state of the cell and that these changes potentiate or facilitate …

A Critical Study Of Informal And Incidental Learning Resulting From Civil Action Within An American Indian Community., Elizabeth Antionette Laverdure-Mcdougall

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore, in-depth, how informal and incidental experiences impacted participants participating in civil action found within an American Indian community from a critically reflective qualitative paradigm. This study was based upon the assumption that all individuals, through their own power and wisdom, have the capacity to learn under any circumstance and that each individual learns through their own unique experiences. Finally, the aim of this study is to create an awareness of the relationship between American Indian communities and education.Qualitative methods were employed in this study which included in-depth interviews, observation and triangulation …

Temporally Regulated Gene Expression In The Embryonic Rat Thoracic Spinal Cord., Wendy Chrystine Perryman

Theses and Dissertations

Recent experimental approaches to the study of gene expression in the developing spinal cord have demonstrated the presence of neurotransmitters, growth factors and guidance cues that appear either at discrete times early in development or for extended periods of time throughout prenatal development and even into the postnatal period. Based on morphologic observations we have made previously in the developing rat thoracic spinal cord, the present study is designed to identify genes in the embryonic spinal cord that are expressed at very discrete developmental time points late in embryonic development. Our hypothesis is that previously unknown genes expressed at discrete …

Assessment Of A Technical Assistance Model: Serving Youth With Disabilities In Residential Settings In North Dakota., Joan Bonsness

Theses and Dissertations

State education agencies, school districts, and residential corrective and treatment facilities share common concern for the disproportionate number of youth with disabilities placed in out-of-district settings. Central to this concern is the fact that many juveniles with disabilities in residential facilities may not receive the educational services to which they are entitled. The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (DPI) initiated a technical assistance project in an effort to facilitate cooperation between corrective and treatment facilities and school districts in serving these youth.The purpose of this study was to identify if a technical assistance project could facilitate interaction among educators …

The Effect Of Parental Monitored Practice On The Musical Achievement Of Sixth Grade Instrumental Music Students, Deborah A. Baldasarre

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of parental involvement on the musical achievement of middle school band students. The problem of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a parental monitored practice program on sixth grade instrumental band students' music achievement.

All sixth grade band students were given a letter the first day of school which explained the investigation and asked the parents if they would be part of the study. The parents' participation involved attending an informational meeting, monitoring their students' practice, and commenting where appropriate. Students recorded their weekly practice, obtained their parents' …

Cultural Influences On Body Image Perception Of Native American Women., Melody Lafriniere

Theses and Dissertations

Although cultural influences are gaining increased recognition in research in many areas, few studies have considered cultural influences on body image perception. Similarly, literature addressing the issues of American Indian women is lacking. Very little research considers the cultural influence on body image perception of American Indian women.This project considers the influences of culture as it relates to an American Indian woman's perception of her body image. Eighty-four American Indian women, enrolled as students at a small Midwestern university participated in this study to determine their body image perception according to Cash's Multidimensional Body-Self Questionnaire, and the influences of their …

Survey Of Military Applications For Fourier Transform Infrared (Ftir) Spectroscopy, Robert G. Hauser

Theses and Dissertations

This paper surveyed four potential military uses for a Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectrometer. A physical method to retrieve vertical atmospheric temperature profiles using a least-squares solution on atmospheric radiance observed at the surface in the 4.3-micrometer carbon dioxide absorption band was analyzed. The method was not successful. Weighting functions, calculated from the surface looking up, were a maximum at the surface, so no unique solution for temperature retrieval by height was determined. Observed atmospheric radiance measurements were compared with radiance calculated using the Moderate Resolution Transmittance Code (MODTRAN). Qualitative comparison showed spectral features of observed and calculated radiance plots …

Analysis Of A Non-Trivial Queueing Network, Kelly Scott Bellamy

Theses and Dissertations

In studying complex queueing networks, one generally seeks to employ exact analytic solutions to reduce burden on computational resources. Barring the existence of an exact solution, the alternatives include approximation techniques and simulation. Approximation is the more attractive alternative from a time and effort perspective; however, cases exist that are not amiable to this technique. This work increases the flexibility of approximation techniques in obtaining estimates of congestion measures for complex, open queueing networks having several customer classes and class-dependent structures. We accomplish this by providing the procedure to aggregate multiple classes into a single class in order to apply …

Artificial Alimentation Of Bees Using Natural Juices During The Dry Season, Ramiro Bernal Acosta

Theses and Dissertations

In the community of Tunshi San Nicols of the Licto parish in the Province of Chimborazo, an evaluation was done on the effect of an energetic supplementary feeding of bees (Italian-mestizas) during the dry season (September 23 to February 20). These supplements consisted of carrot juice (T1), orange juice (T2) and sugar cane juice (T3). These supplements were also compared to a control group (T0). The experimental units consisted of 16 standard beehives distributed randomly with the 4 treatments and 4 repetitions of each treatment. The results showed that sugar cane juice (T3) obtained the best results in the consumption …

Human Resource Development: The Case Of The Civil Service Sector In The Sultanate Of Oman, Saleh Alkhamyasi

Theses and Dissertations

Human capital is a crucial element in the production equation of any organization. Since organizations are open systems that ought to adapt to their dynamic environment within which they operate, human resources should be developed , nourished and empowered to shoulder their task. This thesis explored the issue of human resource development (HRD) in the civil service sector in the Sultanate of Oman, a country situated in the Southeastern corner of the Arabian peninsula. The objectives behind this research were to examine the following: • To describe and define the Civil Service policy and practice of HRD in the Sultanate …

Effect Of The Partial Substitution Of A Commercial Feed For Corn Meal On Growth Performance Of Chickens, Óscar Amilcar García Portillo

Theses and Dissertations

Nutrition is a primary human need. Families often will raise their own animals to meet these nutritional needs. However, high feed costs can severely limit the viability of these small family enterprises. This study addressed ways to improve poultry production as a means for families to ameliorate their diets and increase income. Research was conducted at the Centro Universitario de Oriente (CUNORI), Chiquimula, Guatemala. For this study, commercial poultry feed was supplemented with corn flour at three treatment levels and fed to poultry. Results indicated that partial substitution of commercial feed with corn flour at these three treatment levels did …

College Students In Developmental Reading Classes: Influences Of Learning Styles And Previous Instructional Methods In Grades K-6, Lynda E. Cucco

Theses and Dissertations

The ability to read is the very foundation of education at any level. This is particularly true at the postsecondary level. When institutions of higher education have open door policies it is incumbent upon them to provide assistance to any student requiring or requesting it. This assistance may take many forms. A formal course in developmental reading was the focus of this study. The purpose of the study was to determine if there was a relationship between individual learning styles, teaching styles, and teaching methods where the students enrolled in the developmental reading class had experienced success in grades K-6. …

The Effect Of A Student Orientation Program Upon Transfer Student Retention, And An Investigation Into The Causation Of And Potential Remedies For Transfer Student Attrition, Rebecca Norton Helm

Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on the effect of orientation upon the retention of transfer students at a metropolitan university in the mid-south. The study was longitudinal in nature and utilized both a chi-square test to evaluate the difference in retention between transfer students who did and did not attend a new student orientation program, and a logistic regression to control for the effects of other well known influences of retention. The predictive model developed accurately identified 81.69% of persisters and nonpersisters. New student orientation, age, previous college GPA, and declaring a major were found to be significant predictors of retention; however …

Detection Of Antibodies Against Brucella Abortus In Bovine, Celso Arturo Moreno Paredes

Theses and Dissertations

The present investigation was made in the Laboratories of microbiology of the Ability of Cattle Sciences of the Polytechnic Superior School of Chimborazo, with samples obtained in the Municipal Camal Riobamba and the Community of Tunshi San Nicolás. The incidence of Brucellosis was analyzed in six more important cattle areas of the county using the antigens Brucella abortus and Rosa of Flare. The experimental units were obtained under a systematic sampling. The experiment had a duration of 4 months. The experimental results underwent the following analyses: variance, percentages, stockings, standard deviation, limit for the estimate error. According to carried out …

Nutritional And Health Behavior Of The Indigenous Pregnant Women In The Community Of Tunshi-San Nicolas, Chimborazo Province, Sandra Ordonez Gavilanez

Theses and Dissertations

The nutritional food situation in our country is alarming, by what has been classified as a major public health problem, their principle manifestation is the protein malnutrition- energy, with a high prevalence in urban zones- marginal and rural population. It is considered that the main causes that originate on one hand are still deteriorating at a level of income in the popular sectors with the consequent impossibility of access to basic services such as housing, education, stable jobs, health services (drinking water, sewage, etc.) appropriate food regimes, greatly affecting those vulnerable groups such as children and women in fertile years. …

Comparative Study Of Six Different Types Of Subtracts In The Production Of Earthworm Humus And Its Productive Effect In Vegetables (Radish, Beet, White Onion, Cabbage), Romeo Byron Romero Mancero

Theses and Dissertations

In the province of Chimborazo, found in the Riobamba canton, a study was done with the purpose of comparing different subtracts for the production of earthworm humus (pig feces, guinea pig feces, rabbit feces, bovine feces, market residues, and vegetable residues from the harvest) and its productive effect in vegetables (radish, onion, beet and cabbage). Twenty-four beds, 1.5 m2 (1.5 x 1) in size, as well as sixteen 3 m2 (1 x 3) parcels were used for the study. A design of complete blocks was applied with a monofactorial in the first test, and a bifactorial in the second test. …

The Relation Between The Nutritional Status And The Acute Diarrhetic Diseases In Children Younger Than Five Years Of Age In The Indigenous, Black, And Mestizo Ethnic Groups Of The Rural Area In The Imbabura Province, 1998-1999, Tanya Vaca

Theses and Dissertations

The study conducted in the rural area of the province of Imbabura included a total of 518 families that when compared with the estimated sample of 96%, 42.7 % corresponding to the indigenous ethnic group, 28.15% to Black and 25% to mixed-race ethnic groups, these differences of involvement between ethnic groups is due to the fact that the indigenous population is greater than the two remaining populations. Of the 518 families studied they were able to obtain a total of 794 children younger than 5, in which 48.5% pertaining to the male sex and 51.4% to the female sex. In …

Religiosity And Life Satisfaction Among Lds College Students, Po Nien Chou

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between religiosity and life satisfaction among Latter-day Saints (LDS) college students. The scales used were the religiosity scale by Chadwick and Top (1993), and the life satisfaction scale by Neugarten, Havighurst and Tobin (1961). The analysis was based on data obtained from 222 students (55.5%) who responded. A prediction model was used to develop a regression equation. Pearson correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between religiosity and life satisfaction. The regression equation is as follows: life satisfaction = 1.436815592 + 0.045915152 (spiritual experiences) + 0.042888274 (integration in congregation). …

Family-Of-Origin Distress And Intimacy In Later-Life Couples, Paul James Birch

Theses and Dissertations

Married couples aged 55-98 were surveyed regarding their perceptions of family-of-origin distress, their affective communication and problem solving communication skills, and their emotional intimacy. Two 2-way ANOVAs were performed with husbands' (model 1) and wives' (model 2) emotional intimacy scores as dependent measures and family-of-origin distress scores as the independent measures. Then both models were re-analyzed with affective communication and problem solving communication entered as co-variates. Results suggested that for both husbands and wives, emotional intimacy was affected by family-of-origin distress. Additionally, intimacy was affected by the distress in their spouses' family-of-origin in both models. Post-hoc analyses suggested that as …

The Precepts Of Zion And Joseph Smith's City Of Zion Plan: Major Influences For The Planning Of Nauvoo, Marjorie E. Eddy

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis addresses the archaeological question of the relationship between city planning and belief systems. It examines the extent to which the city plan of Nauvoo, Illinois, was influenced by the four precepts of Zion as outlined by Joseph Smith, the first President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. These precepts are considered as unity, order, economic equality, and leadership. The City of Zion plan as developed by Joseph Smith was the basis for many cities, including Nauvoo. The Zion plan is examined to determine the influences of the four precepts of Zion on city planning. Specifically, …